Imam Nawawi (r) - Seeker of Knowledge
A student should learn
& practice the etiquettes that a seeker of knowledge should possess &
implement in order to reap the benefits from the ilm that he gains. First &
foremost it is important to purify our intentions for the sake of Allah (swt)
& the fundamental of seeking knowledge is Taqwa, fear of Allah (swt) &
being aware of Him at all times. Taqwa is the driving force & should always
lead us towards achieving goodness with Ihsaan & perfection.
“Oh
you who believe if you obey and fear Allaah, He will grant you a criterion.”[1]
As seekers of Islamic
Knowledge one must study the lives of our pious predecessors. Imam Al-Nawawi is
one such example from whose life one can learn the beautiful etiquettes. He was
from a simple & modest family. His father was known to be a God-fearing
& pious man who always taught his family to a avoid eating anything which
is forbidden.[2]
“Verily,
Allah is good & accepts that which is good.”[3]
He memorized the entire
Qur’an at a young age. When other children used to ask him to come & play
he would not do so & would reply by saying that he has not been created to
play. From a very young age his heart was not attached to this world & he
knew the importance of time. He would always be contemplating & reflecting.
Imam Al Nawawi had a
beautiful character. Even though he longed to go in the search of knowledge his
father wanted him to stay & help him in his work. Even as a child he did
not rebel & with patience and perseverance displayed his dedication & zeal
for seeking knowledge. It was due to his patience that his father then
encouraged him & sent him to Damascus.[4]
He studied in Madrasa Ar
Rawahiyay in Damascus. This was not just any Madrasa but a well known Madrasa.
As a seeker of knowledge we should gain knowledge from the learned Shuyukh
following the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) & reputable
Institutes. When a seeker of knowledge travels for the sake of seeking
knowledge that shows their sincerity for travelling especially at that time
meant sacrifice & commitment. A Seeker of Knowledge should be ready to
commit his time & resources in obtaining knowledge.[5]
He would study for 12
hours each day, a subject every hour. This showed that as a student of
knowledge he knew the value of time & the importance of this sacred
knowledge that he was gaining. Due to his dedication & hard work he
achieved scholarship within a span of 6 years. Imam Nawawi’s thirst for
knowledge was so great that for the first 2 years he did not sleep on his bed
but if he got tired would keep his head down and sleep on his books. He would
always be studying, revising, reading & writing.
One of the most beneficial
things that a student of knowledge can do for this ummah is by writing. Imam Al
Nawawi wrote profusely & even till now we can see his beautiful work in the
form of Riyad us Saliheen, Arbaeen an Nawawi, At Tibyan, Kitab al Adhkaar,
Rawhatal Talibeen etc. His fear of Allah (swt) & adherence to the Sunnah
was great. He once called his student & took an oath from him that he would
destroy around a 1000 treatise that he had written for he was unsure of his
work & its quality.[6]
Imam al Nawawi did not get
married as he feared that he would be unable to fulfill her rights. He was
known for his piety, asceticism & sincerity. He was given the title of
Mohyadeen, reviver of the sciences which he disliked & did not like people
to call him with this title. Those seeking knowledge should always check their
level of sincerity & keep away from riyaa. They should also be humble &
should fear for riyaa to set in their intentions.
“Anyone
who calls me Mohyadeen, I will not forgive him.”[7]
He is also known for his
austerity.[8] The only clothing that he
had was a turban & a long gown. He would only eat cake & olives that
his father would send as he was very particular about the purity of what he
ate. He would not indulge in any matter in which there was the slightest of
doubt. He was even known for his modesty as he did not allow his students to
serve him. On the other hand he taught, cared & served his students. One
can see his hard work through his works & his students some of whom later
became scholars.
A Seeker of knowledge should always be
aware of Allah (swt). Imam Nawawi did not fear the rulers & would always
stand with what is right & stand firmly against the wrong. He not only
opposed wrong through his actions but also wrote against the innovations that
were prevalent in his works. A seeker of knowledge should fulfill their job
description of encouraging that which is good & forbidding that which is
evil by all the means which one has in the best of ways.
Scholar of hadith Abu Al-Abbas ibn
Faraah stated about Imam Nawawi:
"The
shaikh had reached the top in three areas. Every one of these areas is such
that a person should be willing to mount his camel and travel in order to seek
it. One is the level he attained when it comes to knowledge. The second is the
level he attained when it comes to asceticism. And the third is the level he
attained in ordering good and eradicating evil."[9]
A Seeker of knowledge
should purify his intentions for the sake of Allah (swt), should be strong when
it comes to their levels of sincerity & should humble themselves before
Allah (swt). They must love & fear Allah (swt). Allah (swt) blesses those
who loves him with sincerity & establishes for them love in the hearts of
others. These etiquettes enable the seeker to reap maximum benefits from the
knowledge that he gain & he must remember that everything he gains is from
Allah (swt) & not because of himself.
[1] (www.Quran.com, (8:29))
[2] (Commentary on the 40 Hadith of Al Nawawi, pg 11)
[3] (Sunan Al-Tirmidhi)
[4] (Sacred Scrolls, Al Maghrib Institute)
[5] (http://www.muslimcentralaudio.com/navaid-aziz-biography-imam-al-nawawi/)
[6] (http://www.muslimcentralaudio.com/navaid-aziz-biography-imam-al-nawawi/)
[7] (Sacred Scrolls, Al Maghrib Institute)
[8] (Zarabozo)
[9] (Zarabozo)
